There are many different forms of pallet wrappers currently available. Most of them operate on the principal of the pallet being positioned on a table or platform, the table rotated to wrap a web of material which is applied to the pallet load, around the pallet load and to cut off and wipe the end of the web against the pallet and thereby securing the wrapper in position i.e. the wrapper web is applied to the pallet and the pallet rotates to wind the web around the pallet and overlap itself. This wraping is continued until the top of the pallet is reached and normally reverses itself back down to the bottom of the pallet. The web is treated with a special finish so that when the web is cut-off after wrapping, the cut-off end adheres to the layers of web previously applied to the pallet.
Pallet wrappers wherein the wrapping material is suspended from above or below and travel around the pallet are also known and operate in a similar manner.
Such wrapper materials are normally not particularly porous and do not permit significant breathing of the pallet load which can lead to condensation or, in many cases, overheating of the pallet load resulting in deterioration of the goods contained in the pallet.
Web material formed of an opened weave, such as a leno-type weave material has long been known and recently a plastic open mesh material has been provided that has adequate strength to properly wrap a pallet, however, these materials have, in the past, always required manual application, thereby limiting severally their use. Even though the open weave material is far superior from a breathing and heat transmission point of view improving the stability of the pallet load under various conditions of temperature and humidity while providing adequate strength to hold the pallet load together, its use has been restricted due to the lack of automatic wrapping equipment. Similarly, untreated plastic wrapping sheet material could not be wrapped automatically.